A Shared Fate
by Noelerin
Summary: A tiny revision of my two broody guys come to a decision regarding Hitomi.


Author: Noellerin.  
Title: A Shared Fate.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne or the emotions of the people in the show, I'm just playing with them.  
Summary: Two depressed, lovesick guys (Allen and Van) mope together.  
Author's Note: New to the world of Escaflowne. Spoilers ahead. I haven't seen the whole thing but from what I've heard, she ends up being in love with Van, though she doesn't stay with him. (Thanks for telling me, I appreciate it.) I've just done a little edit on this. Thanks to my reviewers I found out that there were some places that were confusing, I hope that I've cleared it up. **** *** Shows the flip between the past (mainly from Allen's viewpoint) and the present time. Celena is doing better and is friends with Merle, they have minor roles.  
  
Allen was sitting under the shade of a tree, reading. His sister was just up the hill, tending to her flower garden. Occasionally, she'd stop and stare into space, eyes focusing on nothing in particular. Allen was pleased to see that Zibachs control over her had faded away, though Celena was far from healed. The blonde knight looked up when he heard the sound of an approaching horse. It was King Van with Merle.   
  
"Hey, Allen!" The young king called out.  
  
Celena jumped, eyes wide when she heard his voice. Allen smiled at her, putting her fears to rest. He then set aside his book and stood up, moving towards them. "Van. Merle. What brings the two of you out here?"  
  
"We're going to visit Hitomi and wondered if you wanted us to give her a message." Van replied, getting off the horse and helping his friend down.  
  
Allen winced inwardly at her name. "Give me a moment to think." He knew that Van wasn't trying to be mean but...Hitomi was a very tender subject for him. Hitomi was unlike any other person he'd ever known. The first time he had met her, she needed to be protected from the mole man. He remembered thinking that there was nothing out of the ordinary about her-until she turned those beautiful green eyes towards him. There was something in them that called out to him, and not just his protective instincts.  
  
**** ***   
  
"Are you all right?" He knelt at her side, being careful not to spook her. This strange girl needed a friend, not another scare. Her reaction startled him, she cried in his arms and fainted. Before he could process what she had been saying, Van appeared around the corner and he had to stop the boy from hurting himself.  
  
**** ***   
  
"Hey! Isn't that Celena over there?" Merle's asked, her voice excited.   
  
Van tensed up, trying not to spook her. The memory of their rather unusual past didn't haunt him so much but...Celena was not comfortable around him and he didn't know what to do about it. He couldn't stop visiting because they were friends and allies but he didn't want to cause her (or Allen) any more pain.  
  
"Yes." The affection in his voice was obvious. They watched her for a few moments, marveling at the change in her. "Would you like to say hello?" Merle went over but Van stayed back. Allen didn't say anything, he knew what was going through Van's mind. He remembered all to well what had happened when Celena had met up with the king one day.  
  
**** ***  
  
Celena was running through the walled off garden, chasing after a butterfly when she'd bumped into Van and accidentally killed the bug. "Are you all right?" He offered her his hand, shocked when she just laughed. Then that laughter turned deadly, sending chills up his spin.  
  
Allen heard the laugh and came running, leaving Dryden and the visiting Princess Millerna behind him. When he arrived, Dilandau was hitting Van who was trying to stop the attack without hurting Dilandau. He jumped between the two, getting a kick in his knee that nearly broke it. All the while, he was taking to Dilandau, trying to calm him and bring back his sister.  
  
After a few moments, the crazed eyes changed to a soft blue. "Brother?" Her voice was worried. "Sorry."  
  
"I'm okay. Van?" He questioned, feeling the younger man's arms helping him up.  
  
"In better shape than you, obviously. Let's sit down." Van's tone was firm, he'd come a long way from the brash youth he once was.   
  
Celena stood there for a moment, trying to calm down and regain her composure. "I'm sorry, Van."  
  
Van shrugged off the incident. "Accidents happen. Merle was looking for you." Without another word, Celena ran off to find her new friend. Princess Millerna fixed his knee while the three men caught up.  
  
**** ***  
  
"She seems to be doing very well. You must be pleased." Van commented.  
  
"We haven't had any more incidents but we are still on guard." Allen answered, gesturing that they both sit down. "Van, it was an accident. None of us blames you, she was just having a bad day."  
  
"Yeah, but you were once again forced to stand between us." His hand ran through his short hair. Van felt Allen's gaze and looked over at him, seeing nothing but understanding in the blue eyes.  
  
"I've had worse." He unconsciously rubbed his knee. "Besides, I knew what I was getting myself into when I brought her home. After all, Princess Eries and I saw her change."  
  
"So, that's how you knew." Van mused quietly. He always wondered how Allen had learned the truth.  
  
Allen nodded. They watched the two girls playing. "I don't think I will ever understand how their friendship happened."  
  
"But you have to admit, they are good for each other. Merle needs something to protect and Celena needs all the protection she can get. Plus, Merle doesn't cling to me so much now."  
  
"Why, Van, are you using my sister?" Allen teased, his eyes twinkling with mischief.  
  
"Would you mind?" Van answered, eyes challenging.  
  
"As long as it doesn't hurt Celena in the long run, I won't say anything." His voice was suddenly serious. "I will not allow anything to hurt her again."  
  
"Allen, I understand how you feel." Van was serious, he looked at Merle. "She's all I have left of my family."  
  
"Except for Hitomi." Allen pointed out, keeping his voice neutral. But he couldn't stop the heart wrenching tug inside.  
  
**** ***  
  
The gaze of the Princess rested momentarily on Hitomi, sleeping peacefully behind them. It hadn't escaped her notice the care he'd used to carry her and the way he watched out for her. "Liar." The voice rang in his head as he watched her walk away. Allen didn't even bother trying to deny it, he knew very well she was right.  
  
When she disappeared, he was frantic but would never allow it to show. Somehow he knew she was safe, with Van, though he was terribly jealous that they were together. He had always known there was a bond between the two, that is why he never really intended to do anything about his feelings for her.  
  
**** ***  
  
"I don't think either of us ever really had her." Van's voice was strained.  
  
Allen sent him a shocked look, startled by his words and not really paying attention to the fact that he said 'us'. "What do you mean?"  
  
"You know I visit her, sometimes with Merle, sometimes alone?" Allen nodded, waiting for him to continue. "Recently she's been distant. You remember how she was after Millerna's wedding?"  
  
Allen winced. "I remember. Those luck soldiers nearly got her that time."  
  
"She's been acting just like that." Van sighed.  
  
"Van, she could just be stressed out."  
  
"It's not just that. Hitomi's been seeing some guy, I followed her one night. She was positively glowing." Van glared at the ground as though it was the ground's fault that she had moved on.  
  
The knight went still, but he somehow found his voice. "Van. Hitomi did what she had to do, she moved on. She lives in another world and probably never expected to come back to this one."  
  
"But Allen, the man reminds me of Folken!" The sentence hung in the air between them.  
  
"I see." His voice was quiet. Folken. Van's brother. A scientist who'd created the luck soldiers. The man who had tried to take over Gaea in the name of peace. Folken. The black winged Draconian who really listened to Hitomi and made her feel like a person and not a weapon or an object to be placed on a pedestal. The man who had tried to end the war by killing off Dornkirk but had been killed by him instead.  
  
"What does he give her that we don't?"  
  
This time Allen caught it. "We, Van?"  
  
"Yes, we. Even if you did step back, you still hold her in your heart." Van was impatient. "I know how you feel. You said it yourself, when you are with Hitomi, your heart is at peace."  
  
"True, I did say that." Allen agreed, he couldn't deny it. "And maybe that's what this man does, he gives Hitomi that peace. You and I never really treated Hitomi like anything but an object to be used, though we did come around in the end. Folken just treated her like a person."  
  
Van couldn't argue with his words, still..."I thought we had a forever kind of thing."  
  
"So did my father. He loved Hitomi's grandmother, but he loved my mother more. He just learned it to late."  
  
**** ***  
  
Allen stared out the window, inside he was seething that his father had left them for some mysterious girl. And yet, if what Hitomi said was true, then he could understand. He could understand but he couldn't forgive. He wondered if his feelings for her were a way of fixing a mistake that had been made years ago. Then shook his head, even if they were, he could never ask her to give up her world for him.  
  
But something drew him to her that rainy day. He knew she would be on the bridge, waiting for something, for someone. He felt drawn to her, like a moth to a flame and knew that he had to hold her. Then it became something else, as if some hand was guiding his actions, pulling them to each other. What happened after he lowered his lips to hers became a blur, he felt as though he was someone else. They seemed to become one being, it just felt right.  
  
**** ***  
  
"Allen? Do you think I should let her go?" The young king asked, interrupting his thoughts.  
  
He thought for a moment, not knowing what to say. But then it was clear to him. "I think you should do what is best for Hitomi." Allen advised.  
  
"Does it the pain ever get easier to bear?" He was fiddling with his shirt, the decision already forming in his mind.  
  
"In time, Van, in time." He spoke from experience. "But it never goes away."  
  
"Allen, time to go in before Gaddes gets mad." Celena called, her arm through Merle's. "Is it okay if Merle spend the night?"  
  
"Sure. Coming Van?" Allen asked, as he got up to join the girls.  
  
"In a minute." Was all he said, Merle was concerned. "See you at the fortress, Merle." He smiled, showing her that he just needed time to think. Allen guided the girls away, bidding a final farewell to his dream of Hitomi.  
  
The End. 


End file.
